go out

verb

went out; gone out; going out; goes out

intransitive verb

1
a
: to go forth, abroad, or outdoors
specifically : to leave one's house
b(1)
: to take the field as a soldier
(2)
: to participate as a principal in a duel
c
: to travel as or as if a colonist or immigrant
d
: to work away from home
2
a
: to come to an end
b
: to give up office : resign
c
: to become obsolete or unfashionable
d(1)
: to play the last card of one's hand
(2)
: to reach or exceed the total number of points required for game in cards
e
: to bring a performance to a close
The band went out with a solid rendition of another Allmans classic …Joel Silverstein
3
a
: to take part in social activities
made plans to go out for drinks
b
: to date someone romantically
They've been going out for about six months.
4
: to go on strike
5
6
: to become a candidate
went out for the football team
Phrases
go out with a bang
: to die, end, or finish in a thrilling, forceful, or impressive way
Game of Thrones is known for its impressive production value, so it is understandable why HBO would want to go out with a bang, making the final episodes the biggest television has ever seen.Emily Murray

Examples of go out in a Sentence

there was concern that the dam would go out under the force of the flood waters she enjoys going out on weekends, but during the week she's a homebody
Recent Examples on the Web On Watch What Happens Live Tuesday, Tisdale was asked about going out for the role of Karen Smith, the lovable airhead eventually played by Amanda Seyfried. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 Others pointed to the comment as another example of Lake going out of her way to alienate more moderate elements of the Republican Party. 'No peace':The Kari Lake-Meghan McCain feud is escalating quickly. Morgan Fischer, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Austin Turner. Corin Cesaric, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Hence the importance of going out of your way to test for herpes! Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2024 The relationship and reliability from a long-term partner like Shell isn’t lost on Ferrari’s drivers, who have enough to worry about when the lights go out and the race begins. Michael Loré, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The appraisals will affect 2024 property tax bills that go out later in the year. Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024 The auto maker has recalled 280,000 Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, and Lexus LX 600 vehicles in the U.S. Notifications will go out in late April, but concerned owners can contact their dealer or enter their vehicle ID number at toyota.com/recall. Chris Morris, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2024 When individuals within specific subsets get the chance to connect, all small talk instantly goes out the window. Sophie Morgan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'go out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of go out was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Go out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20out. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

go out

verb
1
: to leave one's home
2
: to stop working
3
: to stop burning or glowing
4
: to become a candidate
went out for the football team

More from Merriam-Webster on go out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!